Learning to Dance the Key Concepts of WRAP

Kathyann Corl, Director of Community Relations for Keystone Human Services Mental Health Services, shares how she has used WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) throughout her life for recovery from mental illness.

Original article by Kathyann Corl on mentalhealthrecovery.com

My late daughter, Kristen, loved music, especially country singer Lee Ann Womack's heartwarming song, "I Hope You Dance." My own life journey has been like a country line dance--two steps forward and one step back. I have danced in joy and in sorrow. My faith and creativity have guided me. Along the way, I discovered what I would come to know as the five key concepts of WRAP: support, education, self-advocacy, personal responsibility, and hope. Living WRAP has helped me learn to live in the moment, and truly being with another person in the moment is the greatest gift anyone can offer.

Reclaiming My Life Through Support

My story begins with support. In 1987, I was a single parent, newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and had just been in a homeless shelter. I felt lost. Because I had seizures, I was intrigued when I saw a sign on a storefront in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, announcing an epilepsy support group. It was there that I began to reclaim my life.

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